Dedication of St Benedict's | marnhull-rc-parish

Dedication of St Benedict's Church on 9th December 2025

Bishop of Plymouth opens church in Gillingham, Dorset, to serve growing Catholic communities

Bishop Nicholas Hudson said: “I am delighted that one of my first acts as the new Bishop of Plymouth is to celebrate a Mass for the Dedication of the new church of St Benedict and its altar in Gillingham, Dorset. This new church, along with developments in the parish of Tiverton, reflects our commitment to supporting growing Catholic communities and to serving local communities across the diocese. I am grateful to the Methodist community in Gillingham for their generous collaboration and support in this project.”

The priest-in-charge of Marnhull and Gillingham, Father Cletus Ibeka, moved into his new home in September 2025. He shared his excitement about the project: “This new church represents not just a physical expansion, but a spiritual one as well. The growth is not only in our faith community, but in our commitment to serving the people of Gillingham.” This timing coincides with the tercentenary of the parish’s founding with the Marnhull Mission in 1725, marking a significant milestone in the local Catholic community’s history.

To read the whole article on the Plymouth Diocese website:
https://www.plymouth-diocese.org.uk/bishop-of-plymouth-opens-church-in-gillingham-dorset-to-serve-growing-catholic-communities/

HOMILY OF BISHOP NICHOLAS HUDSON

A selection of photos are below but You can find more images from the day on the Plymouth Dioceses flickr account here

Document.pdf